Starts with results of an informal poll conducted among museum technology professionals at MCN 2011. Continues with 4 more in-depth case studies: the Indianapolis Museum of Art (IMA), Tate, MoMA, and the Walker Art Center (WAC). What are the impacts of digital publishing on organizational structures, workflows, and institutional voice? Presented in Rotterdam at DISH 2011.

1. From Closed Silos to Collaborative
Networks: Digital Impacts on Museums
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DISH 2011 Rotterdam, NL December 7, 2011

2. Let‘s DISH:
―Rapid digitisation is the defining trend in today‘s
society. The public expects their institutions to be
as active on the Internet as they are.‖
―How do you equip yourself for these new
roles, that demand new functions and
new competencies in your
organisation?‖
-from the DISH 2011 Call for Entries

3. And equally importantly:
How do we use the digital as an agent
of change in how we relate to our
publics?
Multiplying modes, venues, voices…

4. The Conversation began a while ago…
1984
Early digital storytelling tool…

5. And it has expanded & accelerated ever since.

8. We conducted an un-scientific survey.
Attendees at the Museum Computer Network conference:
• Museum director
• Web Editor
• Exhibit Developer
• IT Systems Analyst
• Curator
• Marketing & Communications Officer
• Education
• New Media Initiatives
• Visitor Services
• Publications Associate

9. Question: Do you see digital publishing platforms
changing the organization’s structure?
• Pool of content creators has increased dramatically.
• New kinds of workflows, less hierarchies.
• New functional organisation, new positions, new
relationships between departments (more intensive
collaboration, publication planning on a longer term, trend of
digital content co-production).
• The way we conceive of transmitting information
has changed.
• The need for dedicated digital content staff is
apparent and overdue.
• and…

10. Question: Do you see digital publishing platforms
changing the organization’s structure?
―Not sure it will happen, but
there is a lot of
pressure.”

11. Question: If multiple departments self-publish, what are
the impacts, if any, on institutional voice?
• It is appropriately diverse.
• Quality of content & writing is impacted…
• Not sure I believe in ‗institutional voice‘. I don‘t
think this is important anymore. So I think the
impact is that this concept itself is going away.
• Subject matter is often at odds with institutional
goals.
• What institutional voice? (That was a joke.)

12. Question: Do you see digital media as a democratizing
force in your organization? If so, how?
• Yes, digital media is less controlled by curators and
is deeper rooted in the organization.
• It certainly broadens the pool of people who get to
be custodians of the Museum‘s mission…
• Yes, relatively young, junior staff are taking on
more responsibility for being the institution‘s voice
and our audiences are also part of our brand now.
• Yes, in that younger staff members who are not part
of the curatorial staff have a way to contribute
stories and content via the blog or social media,
whereas 10 years ago these staff would have had no
voice.

13. Case Studies

14. A partial Timeline
2005: Building renovated/technology refresh.
2007: Website relaunch.
2009: IMA Lab founded.
2010: Website re-relaunch, with a difference:
Designed & built in-house.
2010: New Division of Research, Technology,
& Engagement under Rob Stein

16. What do these things
have in common?

17. An emphasis on
Research.

18. An emphasis on
Research.
Objective #3 in their new Strategic
Plan:
Establish the IMA as a research leader
among its peers in the areas of art
history, conservation science,
information science, and visitor
studies.

19. An emphasis on
Research.
Goal #4:
• Become an organization where
models for evaluation are
conceived, implemented, and
shared
• Commit to long-term evaluation &
the analysis of results as part of
routine planning processes

20. The Education Dept.
has been renamed
Audience Engagement.
“We’re in the process of defining what
that means.”
–Rob Stein
But it will be data-driven.

21. ―It‘s not digital strategy;
it‘s just strategy.”
–Rob Stein

22. Emphasis on Conversational Engagement:
• Free-choice learning
• Intrinsic motivation
• Critical thinking
• Epiphanies
How do you measure an epiphany?

23. Wrestling with the Perceived Authority
of the museum in the minds of the
visitors.
“Authoritative” Authoritarian
= we have expertise and = demanding respect without
are willing to share it earning it

25. Tate
Photo by chaoticzee, Creative Commons license

26. 4 physical sites & 19 million unique web
visitors/year

27. “Broadcasting the Museum”

28. Leonardo Live in 40 cinemas around the country
“We need to be where the people are.” –Jane Burton
Director, Tate Media

29. ―Be everywhere all the time—and ideally, free to
everyone.‖ Sponsored & commissioned—not internally
funded.
• Legacy Trust
• Bloomberg
• SkyTV
• Channel 4
• BBC
• Even BP
Additional revenue through Tate Enterprise, digital catalogues,
freemium apps & games

30. ―The Artist is core.”
• The Physical
• The Virtual
• The Artist

31. Curators are becoming more active
collaborators.
―Their voices are present in the debate
along with the artists, along with other
cultural commentators, along with
museum visitors and experts in their own
fields.‖
In the Gallery • On the telly • Online • In the App
space • At the cinema • In people’s lives, everywhere

32. Two more early adopters changing stripes:

33. ―If you want to be relevant right now, you
have a conversation.‖ -Allegra Burnette, MoMA

34. ―If you want to be relevant right now, you
have a conversation.‖

35. ―If you want to be relevant right now, you
have a conversation.‖

37. Meanwhile, at the Walker Art Center in
Minneapolis, the museum as newspaper.

39. Also a Video Channel:

41. And a Re-org:
WALKER ART CENTER
Director
Chief of Audience Engagement
Chief of Operations and Chief of Finance and
and Communications, Curator of Chief Curator
Administration Development
Design and Architecture
Director, Education and Director, Senior Curator, Chief Financial Officer
Community Programs Human Resources Performing Arts
Director, Marketing and Director, Curator, Director,
Public Relations Merchandising Film/Video Annual Fund
Director, Director, Director, Special Projects
Facility Rentals Registrar
New Media Initiatives Fundraising
Director,
Design Director Librarian
Information Technology
Director, Director,
Building Operations Program Services
Assistant Director,
Visitor Services
Updated March, 2010

42. Now for something completely different:
• Education & New
Media report to new
chief
• New Journalist-Editor
mentors curators
• Builds their comfort
contributing to Web
• Online voices
multiplied

44. http://www.changecycle.com

45. © Oakland Museum of California & Gail Anderson

46. Thank you.